Fluid pressure operated motor or generator

ABSTRACT

A fluid pressure operable rotary motor or generator characterized by a pressure blade fixed to a shaft for effecting limited angular rotation of the shaft about its axis in opposite directions, the direction of said rotation being determined by the dominant pressure of two opposing pressures acting on respective opposite sides of said blade which is mounted in a single-piece casing section to accommodate said limited angular rotation of the blade, said blade having peripherally disposed sealing means thereon for making sealing contact with the inner surface of said casing section thereby sealingly isolating said opposite sides of the blade.

United States Patent [191 Brignon et a1.

[ 1 May 8,1973

[54] FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED MOTOR OR GENERATOR [7 51 Inventors: AndreBrig non, Saint Maur; Michel Georges Durand, Villeparisis, both ofFrance [73] Assignee: Compagnie Des Freins et Signaux Westinghouse,Freinville-Sevran, France [22] Filed: July 7, 1971 21 Appl. No.':160,452

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 13, 1970 France ..7029786[52] U.S. Cl ..-.92/125, 92/121 [51] Int. Cl. ..F0lc 9/00 [58] Field of-Search ..92/l2l, 122, 124, 92/123, 125

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,330,151 9/1943 Smith..92/121 3,051,143 8/1962 Nee ..92/l21 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS865,223 4/1961 Great Britain ..92/12l 688,917 3/1953 Great Britain...138,520 7/1948 Australia ..92/125 Primary Examiner-Charles J. MyhreAssistant Examiner-R. H. Lazarus Attorney-Ralph W. Mclntire, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A fluid pressure operable rotary motor or generatorcharacterized by a pressure blade fixed to a shaft for effecting limitedangular rotation of the shaft about its axis in opposite directions, thedirection of said rotation being determined by the dominant pressure oftwo opposing pressures acting on respective opposite sides of said bladewhich is mounted in a single-piece casing section to accommodate saidlimited angular rotation of the blade, said blade having peripherallydisposed sealing means thereon for making sealing contact with the innersurface of said casing section thereby sealingly isolating said oppositesides of the blade.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEU MY 8 i975 INVENTOR.

GEORGES our-mm MICHEL.

ATTORNEY FLUID PRESSURE OPERATED MOTOR OR GENERATOR BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION may be varied in accordance with a function of the supplypressure.

Although fluid pressure motors characterized by a shaft rotatable inlimited opposite directions by a blade subjectable to differentpressures on its respective opposite sides, are known, such knowndevices have certain objectionable features as compared to the presentinvention. For example, one objectionable feature of some of the knowndevices is the fact that the housing comprises two symmetricalhalf-sections joined together in clam-like fashion to form said housingin which the blade must rotate. Not only must the two half-sections bejoined together inan air-tight relationship, but they must also havesmooth inner surfaces against which the blade must move in an air-tightrelationship. The type of housing made of two facing halfsections,however, by necessity has a joint line over which the blade must travelwhen operating, and since the machining and fitting together of twosymmetrical half-sections of a housing to form a smooth inner surface isdifficult, there is a great possibilitY that maximum sealing effect ofblade against said inner surface will not be attained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention, therefore,is to provide an improved fluid pressure operable motor of the typehaving a shaft rotatable in opposite directions, within angular limits,by an operating blade making sealing contact with the inner surface of ahousing and being subjectable on opposite sides to variable fluidpressure for effecting rotation thereof and of said shaft, saidinvention being characterized in that the inner surface of said housingwith which said blade makes contact is free ofjoint lines or seams.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, in section, taken along line 11-" of FIG.1.

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION As shown in FIG. 1, the fluid pressure motorembodying the invention comprises a main casing section 1 which may bemoulded in a single piece from a plastic, or other suitable material,for example, with an opening at one end thereof. The main casing section1 comprises two flat sides 2 and 3 disposed parallel to each other (seeFIG. 2) with a shaft 4 extending perpendicularly thereacross and havingthe ends thereof journaled for rotation in said sides, respectively, ata convenient location to be more fully explained.

Main casing section 1 further comprises two cylindrical sectors 5 and 6radially centered on the axis of shaft The object of the invention isattained by providing a main'section of a housing which may be molded inone piece for accommodating a blade fixed to a shaft, for rotationtogether about the axis of the shaft, in opposite directions, and withinpredetermined angular limits. The respective ends of the shaft arejournaled on the opposite side walls of the main casing section. Theouter or peripheral edge of the blade is contoured to thecross-sectional shape of the inner surface of the main casing sectionwith which said outer edge makes sealing contact. With the blade andshaft installed, a

4, said sector 6 being of smaller diameter than sector 5. Thecylindrical sectors 5 and 6', though not limited thereto, areapproximately each as shown. Cylindrical sector 5 is integrally joinedto flat sides 2 and 3 by annular curved casing portions 7 and 8,respectively, to form a casing sector 9, and cylindrical sector 6 isalso integrally joined to said flat sides by annular curved casingportions (not shown) to form a casing sector 10 of smaller diameter thancasing sector 9. If an intersecting plane in which the axis of shaft 4lies were extended radially through either of the casing sectors 9 and10, the cross section of said casing sectors formed with saidintersecting planes would be substantially U-shaped, as may be clearlyseen in FIG. 2. Casing sectors 9 and 10 are integrally joined byajoining section 11 in which a port 12 is formed.

An operating blade 13 is coaxially secured to the shaft 4 for rotationtherewith, said blade comprising two arms 14 and 15 extending radiallyfrom said shaft toward the cylindrical sectors 5 and 6, respectively, ofthe main casing section 1. The peripheral or outer contours of the arms14 and 15 are shaped to conform to the internal cross-sectional contourof the casing sectors 9 and 10, respectively, such contour conformanceof the arm 14, for example, with casing sector 9 being clearly shown inFIG. 2 of the drawing. 7

The operating blade 13 is provided with an endless groove 16, portions17 and 18 of said groove running along the peripheral or outer edges ofthe two arms 14 and 15, and being connected with each other by arcuateportions 19 and 20 fqrmed'on the outer ends. of the hub of the operatingblade in concentric relation to the axis thereof and on the sector ofsaid hub opposite the casing sectors 9 and 10. An endless sealingelement 21 made of a resilient material such as rubber, for example, isdisposed in the groove 16 so as to provide sealing contact between theblade 13 and the inner surfaces of the main housing section 1, saidinner surfaces comprising those of the cylindrical sectors 9 and 10, ofthe flat sides 2 and 3, of the annular curved portions 7 and 8, and ofthe annular curved portions (not shown) connecting sector 6 to said flatsides.

With a cover section 22 sealingly secured at the open end of main casingsection I, the arms 14 and 15 of operating blade 13 cooperate with thesealing element 21 and easing sections 1 and 22 to form two chambers 23and 24 therein, said chamber 23 being open to port 12 in joining portion11, and chamber 24 being open to a port 25 formed in cover section 22.Sealing rings 26 and 27 are disposed at each end of and in concentricrelation to the hub of the operating blade 13 to make sealing contactwith the inner surfaces of the flat sides 2 and 3, respectively, therebypreventing any leakage of fluid pressure from chamber 23 via journals 28and 29 in which the respective ends of shaft 4 are rotatably supported.

The angle subtended by the arms 14 and 15 to form chamber 23 isapproximately 90 or slightly less, though such angle need not be limitedto such size. The total angular displacement of operating blade 13 isalso approximately 90, as shown in FIG. 1, said angular displacementbeing limited in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, by abutmentof arm 14 with a conforming stop surface 30 formed adjacent chamber 23on joining wall 11. Angular displacement of operating blade 13 in acounterclockwise direction is limited by abutment ofarm 14 with aconforming stop surface 31 formed adjacent chamber 24 on an extendedportion of cover section 22 in which port 25 is formed.

The motor device embodying the invention is operated by introducingfluid pressure into one or the other or both of the ports 12 and 25.Depending on the dominating pressure acting on the arms 14 and 15 of theoperating blade 13, said operating blade is rotated accordingly. Forexample, if chamber 24 is supplied with fluid under pressure via port25, the adjacent sides of arms 14 and 15 are subjected to such fluidpressure and, therefore, to directionally opposed directional torques.Since the area of arm 14 subjected to fluid.

pressure in chamber 24 is greater than the area of arm 15 subjected tosaid fluid pressure, the resulting differential torque acts to causeclockwise rotation of the operating blade 13 and, therefore, of shaft 4,as viewed in FIG. 1, until arm 14 abuts against stop surface 30. Thoughnot shown, the shaft 4 is normally connected to some member foreffecting operation of a device such as a valve (not shown) requiring aquarter turn for operating the valve to an open position, for example.Of course, to effect operation of the operating blade 13 in acounterclockwise direction for shutting off the valve (not shown), fluidpressure is released from chamber 24 and supplied to chamber 23 via port12, whereupon the dominating torque on arm 14 causes rotation of saidblade in said counterclockwise direction until it abuts against stopsurface 31 in the position shown in broken outline at 32.

Although not shown in the drawing, automatic return of operating blade13 to one or the other of its rotational limit position, that'is, eitherin abutment with stop surface or stop surface 31, can be effected byemployment ofa torsion coil spring or a torsion bar.

The motor described herein and embodying the invention may also be usedas a compressor by connecting alternating rotating drive means (notshown) to the shaft 4 and connecting one of the ports 12 or 25 toaspiration and delivery valve means (not shown).

Having now described the invention what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

lfA fluid operable motor comprising:

a. a casing comprising:

i. a one-piece main casing section open at one end and having a firstsector portion adjoining a second sector portion of smaller radius thansaid first sector portion relative to a common axis disposedperpendicularly to said main casing section, ii. a cover section forsealingly closing said open end of said main casing section; V

. a shaft supportedin said main casing section for rotation about saidaxis;

0. an operating blade carried by said shaft and rotatable therewith inopposite directions, said operating blade sealingly dividing the easinginto a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber andcomprising two angularly-spaced arms corresponding in radial length tothe radii of said first and second sector portions, respectively, andeach presenting respective pressure areas on respective opposite sidesthereof adjacent to and subjectable to fluid pressure prevailing in saidfirst and second pressure chambers, said angularly-spaced arms havingsealing contact only with said main casing section during rotationthereof,

. said first pressure chamber being defined on one side of the operatingblade by the two arms and the adjacent portion of the casing, and saidsecond pressure chamber being defined on the opposite side of theoperating blade by the two arms and the adjacent portion of the casing;

e. a first inlet formed in the casing via which fluid under pressure maybe admitted to said first pressure chamber; and

f. a second inlet formed in the casing via which fluid under pressuremay be admitted to said second pressure chamber,

g. said operating blade being rotatable responsively to pressuredifferential established between the respective pressure areas of thetwo arms on the same side of said operating blade adjacent the oneof-said pressure chambers provided with dominating fluid pressure, thedirection of rotation of said operating blade being determined by whichof said pressure chambers is provided with the dominating pressure.

2. A fluid pressure operable motor, as set forth in claim 1, furthercharacterizedby:

a. an endless groove peripherally surrounding said operating blade, and

b. an endless sealing element disposed in said endless groove forproviding the sealing relation between said blade and the internalsurface of said main casing section.

3. A fluid pressure operable motor, as set forth in claim 1, furthercharacterized by stop means in said casing for limiting rotation of saidoperating blade in both directions.

4. A fluid pressure operable motor, as set forth in claim 3, whereinsaid main casing section is characterized by a seamless structure.

5. A fluid pressure operable motor, as set forth in.

claim 4, wherein said stop means are so disposed as to limit the totalrotation of said operating blade wholly within said main casing section.

1. A fluid operable motor comprising: a. a casing comprising: i. aone-piece main casing section open at one end and having a first sectorportion adjoining a second sector portion of smaller radius than saidfirst sector portion relative to a common axis disposed perpendicularlyto said main casing section, ii. a cover section for sealingly closingsaid open end of said main casing section; b. a shaft supported in saidmain casing section for rotation about said axis; c. an operating bladecarried by said shaft and rotatable therewith in opposite directions,said operating blade sealingly dividing the casing into a first pressurechamber and a second pressure chamber and comprising twoangularly-spaced arms corresponding in radial length to the radii ofsaid first and second sector portions, respectively, and each presentingrespective pressure areas on respective opposite sides thereof adjacentto and subjectable to fluid pressure prevailing in said first and secondpressure chambers, said angularly-spaced arms having sealing contactonly with said main casing section during rotation thereof, d. saidfirst pressure chamber being defined on one side of the operating bladeby the two arms and the adjacent portion of the casing, and said secondpressure chamber being defined on the opposite side of the operatingblade by the two arms and the adjacent portion of the casing; e. a firstinlet formed in the casing via which fluid under pressure may beadmitted to said first pressure chamber; and f. a second inlet formed inthe casing via which fluid under pressure may be admitted to said secondpressure chamber, g. said operating blade being rotatable responsivelyto pressure differential established between the respective pressureareas of the two arms on the same side of said operating blade adjacentthe one of said pressure chambers provided with dominating fluidpressure, the direction of rotation of said operating blade beingdetermined by which of said pressure chambers is provided with thedominating pressure.
 2. A fluid pressure operable motor, as set forth inclaim 1, further characterized by: a. an endless groove peripherallysurrounding said operating blade, and b. an endless sealing elementdisposed in said endless groove for providing the sealing relationbetween said blade and the internal surface of said main casing section.3. A fluid pressure operable motor, as set forth in claim 1, furthercharacterized by stop means in said casing for limiting rotation of saidoperating blade in both directions.
 4. A fluid pressure operable motor,as set forth in claim 3, wherein said main casing section ischaracterized by a seamless structure.
 5. A fluid pressure operablemotor, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said stop means are so disposedas to limit the total rotation of said operating blade wholly withinsaid main casing section.